The Fountain of Vinassa was blessed long ago to create a magic liquid, which, when separated from the fountain, would form an entity known as a Vinling. However, these Vinlings were small and often had no limbs, and one day they discovered the ability to tether to other creatures in their world, so, bothered by their limited form, they linked with the Pukkints, the most common animals in the region. When linking up, the Vinling's human-like spirit enters the Pukkint/Vessel's body, and the Pukkint/Vessel's animalistic spirit enters the Vinling's body. Those tethered together permanently are known as Tetherlings.

These Tetherlings dominate the world around them, forming small towns with buildings made of adobe, mudbricks, and wood. They treat the others linked to them as friends. Many of them have even formed romantic relationships with other Tetherlings. It seems that linking up, even if it destroys the Vinlings' partial immortality, leads to living their lives to the fullest, even if attached to one another.